Chapter 29

He pushed twice more until she had milked him completely, causing her to groan as he filled her with his seed and sent an orgasm rippling through her.

He lay on top of her, his eyes closed. "Honey, you are something else."

The same might be said of you, I suppose. His hair was combed by her with her fingers. "A nap will be needed now,"

He licked her lips and laughed. I'm ready for a feast now.

Then dessert once more.

A few brown sugar crystals gleamed on his chest as he rolled off of her. He assisted her off the table and wiped the flour off her back after she licked them up. She muttered, "We're a mess," her face flushed from effort.

He grinned wolfishly at her. "You received the brunt of it." She moaned as he removed the flour from her hair. "At least the cinnamon granules are gone from the hue of your hair." She looked at him angrily. "The next time, I win.

You may have cinnamon, sugar, and flour all over you. He helped her dress while grinning. "I'm in."

He touched her belly. I know Carol thinks we're going to have triplets.

“Conjecture.”

“Right. She won't, though, say what sex they are.

Lelandi was happy that Carol believed she was pregnant, but she still had trouble believing Carol could actually know such a thing. She shook more flour and sugar out of her hair.

He gave her a forehead kiss. "I invited your parents, brother, and uncle to the feast. Ural was dragged along by them.

Lelandi gave Darien a cold look before slapping his shoulder. He had been so focused on making love to her because of this. It had nothing to do with his pack and was entirely motivated by concern that she would decide to go back to her family.

He smiled. "I figured you'd like it,"

"You didn't need to provide them with any evidence. I would have remained at your side.

He kissed her hand after taking it. "You have the heart of a lion and are the mate of an alpha pack leader. Let's start the feast now.

Lelandi was certain that the fight would start first, but only after she dealt with her father, who would object if she married Darien without his consent.

Lelandi's parents were conversing with several of his pack members in the sunroom when Darien led her there. Ural was sitting in a corner looking miserable as her brother, uncle, and aunt were speaking with Jake. Probably still angry over being imprisoned and how Darien residents treated him. He shouldn't, however, have lingered.

We'll leave you alone for a while so you can reacquaint yourself, Darien told Lelandi. Until Darien gave Lelandi a scorching kiss on the mouth, grinned, and then winked at her, everyone remained stiff and formal. The entertainment starts in a few minutes, he said again while squeezing her hand.

Lelandi kissed her mother and father, then her brother, uncle, and cousin before the grays who were speaking with her family quickly departed the sunroom.

Her mother gushed, "Triplets," her face beaming. I'll remain at your side during the final trimester.

Will you really be moving all the way out to Oregon to live with Leidolf? The anguish in Lelandi's voice was obvious.

"Heaven isn't. Not now that my grandchildren are arriving and Hrothgar is in charge of the pack at Wildhaven. Uncle Hrothgar's arm was patted by her mother. The little brother of your father is now in command, and our land is safe. Leidolf caught her eye. When will I be able to have grandchildren?

Leidolf scowled and his arms were crossed. "I need a mate, but none are out there at the moment."

The arm of Uncle Hrothgar was pulled by Eleanor. You'll also require a partner. A red female was in the house earlier, I noticed. How can she be in a gray pack?

“Carol? She was turned by a red from Bruin's pack. She now has aging parents here and is an only child, so I don't believe she's interested in moving away.

He shook his head, Leidolf. "I wouldn't take a lupus garou who had just turned. Too much accountability. They wouldn't understand our customs and require ongoing supervision.

As though you could be that picky, my brother. There is also our line to consider.

You mean since we are royalty? Eyes rolling, Lelandi said.

Someone must continue the line even though it never meant much to you. Moreover, not by blending with a gray.

Mother grinned at them. "Exactly like back then. I forget how frequently you two quarreled. She groaned. "Your mate is making a motion to start this event. If Darien fails in his effort to revenge Larissa's death, save your teeth and claws for the person who deserves them.

Lelandi assertively said, "He won't fail. Yet she was incredibly curious about his opponent and the person who had murdered her sister.

With his free arm around Lelandi's waist, Darien raised a glass of cider in front of his assembled pack and their guests. "We're here to commemorate the union of our Silver Town and Wildhaven clans. Lelandi is not only a royal, but also the offspring of pack leaders on both her paternal and maternal sides, Darien added, stopping till the gasps subsided. We therefore feel incredibly privileged to embrace Lelandi and her family.

Grays and reds echoed "Hear, hear" in unison.

He motioned for silence with his hand. "And now for the terrible news. A pack forms a familial group and presents a unified front to other animals. Yet when one of our kind goes against what the pack expects, that person needs to be dealt with quickly and ruthlessly. Death for death, even if in this case the murderer had claimed the lives of multiple victims. Nevertheless, we can only administer justice once.

Ordinarily, I would challenge the murderer and confront him wolf to wolf, as is customary. Yet I ask Silver Town's sheriff, my Uncle Sheridan, to defend me.

Lelandi cast a sidelong glance at Darien as low talk filled the room. I know what I'm doing, he said while pressing her close to him.

Sheridan took a proud stance, his lips curving in a slight smile. Trevor caught his attention.

He has consented to challenge Trevor. The space seemed eerily quiet.

Trevor remained firm despite his red face.

Lelandi raised her head to face Darien while crying. The murderer wasn't Trevor. How was Darien able to make such error? On the night of the shootings, Trevor acknowledged lying about helping mudslide victims. Why? He refused to provide the solution. But Uncle Sheridan was informed. The shooter that killed Lelandi, Tom, and Sam was employed by Trevor. Before anyone could question the shooter, he materialized on the ridge and killed him. Why, I hear you ask? He aspired to be the sheriff. He believed that his sister mating with me would guarantee him that position in the future. Others, however, may have heard rumors. When Ritka told Trevor that Larissa's children were not my own, Trevor came up with this blackmail plot. The money was found by the sheriff in a bank account under Trevor's name in Green Valley thanks to his efforts.

Trevor gave the sheriff a dagger-like gaze.

Chester was pointed at by Darien. "P.I. Chester McKinley worked for us in exposing this betrayal. The puzzle's components all fit together. A condemned man, Trevor was surviving on borrowed time. Darien's eyes had a ferocious glare, and his spine became stiff.

Lelandi was suspicious that Darien and he had concocted this entire ruse because Trevor didn't appear to be a condemned man and didn't look like one either.

"With one exception," Carol was waived by Darien. "Carol has agreed to save a man's life, but I wouldn't have divulged Carol's exceptional gift because it's her decision."

Carol ad libbed.

Lelandi kept focusing on her. Did she also know? and kept Lelandi in the dark? She growled to herself.